E05234: Gregory of Tours, in his Miracles of Julian (33), recounts how relics of *Julian (martyr of Brioude, S00035), in the form of dust from his tomb at Brioude (central Gaul), cured a possessed man 'in a certain city of the East', and were venerated there; the merchant who had the relics later built a basilica in Julian's honour. Written in Latin in Clermont and Tours (central and north-west Gaul), 573/587.

Gregory of Tours, Miracles of Julian (Liber de passione et virtutibus sancti Iuliani martyris) 33


Quid de eius reliquiis in Oriente fidelium fratrum relatio signat, edicam. In quadam Orientis civitate, dum in eclesia quidam a daemonio torqueretur, in navi beati martyris praedixit esse reliquias. Cumque navis portum fuisset adepta, hic ad eam saltuatim prosilit, ac provolutus solo coram navi, erumpente ab ore et naribus tabe, persona purgata est. Quae cum episcopo nuntiata fuissent, commovet populum cum accensis cereis ad portum usque procedere. Igitur nauclerius audiens flensque prae gaudio, in occursum episcopi properat, nihil se aliud adserens de beati sustulisse basilicam, nisi parumper pulveris, qui circa sanctum iacebat tumulum; sed Deus omnipotens is conprobans fidem viri, oculi virtutem martyris non permisit. Dehinc episcopus sublatas reliquias usque ad sanctam eclesiam cum magno honore deportat. Negotiator vero tanta cernens mirabilia, basilicam in honore martyris aedificavit, in qua beatas reliquias collocans, multa deinceps miracula vidit operari.

‘I will now recount a story told me by reliable brothers regarding relics of his in the East. While a man was being tormented by a demon in the cathedral of a certain city of the East, he announced that relics of the blessed martyr were on board a ship. Once the ship reached port, this man hurried to greet it. After he knelt on the ground in front of the ship, his contamination flowed from his mouth and nose, and the man was cleansed. News of this event was brought to the bishop, who aroused the people to light candles and proceed to the harbour. The ship’s captain heard [this procession] and wept for joy. He hurried to meet the bishop and insisted that he had brought nothing from the church of the blessed [Julian] except a bit of the dust that was lying about the holy tomb. But omnipotent God verified the [possessed] man's faith and did not allow the martyr’s power to be hidden. Then the bishop took the relics and brought them with great honour to the holy cathedral. The merchant, seeing these impressive marvels, constructed a church in honour of the martyr. He placed the blessed relics in this church and thereafter saw many miracles happen there.’


Text: Krusch 1969, 128. Translation: Van Dam 1993, 185.